“Experience is not what happens to you; it's what you do with what happens to you.” — Aldous Huxley.

Martha Stewart grew up in ordinary circumstances, one of 6 children in a middle-class home. Early on, she did baby sitting, organized birthday parties for those children, modeled at 13, became a stockbroker, and then started catering.

Photo courtesy Scott Duncan

Who could have conceived that from such unfocused beginnings, she would build a business empire that included multi business, merchandising through conglomerates that are household names, produce countless bestselling books, a monthly magazine, broadcasting and electronic commerce. Martha, the lifestyle guru, is a symbol of American success. –summarized from Wikipedia

Martha, showed us how to cook, but she also wanted us to know how to make everything in the home beautiful. Clearly she was intelligent. It didn’t hurt that she was also beautiful. But it’s also her imagination, incredible hard work, courage, willingness to take risks, discipline, building on each success, and she kept going regardless of huge setbacks.

There isn’t a person who has achieved success that hasn’t followed a circuitous path. Success does not happen overnight. One must work like a demon, and never, ever quit. No guarantee that you’ll get there, but the odds are far greater.

Martha Stewart, like the pioneering women in “Particular Passions: Talks with Women who Shaped our Times,” kept making things happen. It is within all of us to a certain degree, but not everyone recognizes that gift. We need a “push,” a “pull,” a mentor, a role model, and the ability to stare down setbacks.

“Particular Passions” is filled with wonderful inspirational stories, of women like Stewart, who went on to do great things. They too, did not come from remarkable backgrounds and most of them had no idea what they wanted to do. These women were pioneers in the arts and sciences, medicine and law amongst many other disciplines. They opened doors for women that had never been open before.

One reviewer said of Particular Passions, “One of those rare, rare books that pick your life up, turn it around and point it in the right direction.” — K.T. Maclay

Read a brief chapter on Julia Child, another lifestyle guru - but just in the kitchen, and learn about her passion. If you haven't found yours, I hope the chapter will inspire you.